The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-14
A Number of Additional Arrests Made Yes
terday-United States Authorities Will
Proceed Against Some of the Thieves.
The Value Of the Goods Stolen Found TO
Exceed the Figures First Given.
Continuation of the Argument in the Arens-
dorf Trial at Sioux City-Dramatic Incl
dent in Connection with Bismarck"
THE PANHANDLE ROBBERS.


PITTsBURG. Pa. April 13-The accomplices
of the railroad thieves are resortine to threats
to iutmdate the Panhandle railroad officials.
Among the mail matter laid on Superintendent
Taylor's desk this morning letter in
dainty envelope. 1t was addressed to Mr. Tay-
lor. who opened it and found the following
threatening missive:
Don't make any more arrests, damn you or
will cut your damn wires, ana do 1t as often
please. You can't get us all, and you had
better let the matter drop.
"DENNIsoN, O.. April 2 1887"
Superintendent Taylor thinks he recognizes
the handwriting, and the man suspected will be
spotted. He is still in the company'e employ.
This letter would indicate that the thieves have
not all been captured and that the gang
we'll organized. the police Still working
quietly the case. and some Startling develop
ments are promised. but of what nature cannot
be surmised.
Two more arrests were made shortly after
midnight. John Barth and W. c. Smith. brake
man. supposed to be implicated in the robberies.
were surprised at their homes. Barth was dis
charged from the Panhandle short time ago.
and has since been working on the Baltimore &
Ohio. Several pawn tickets and some new
sons Of the prisoners
number of the accused who have been inter-
viewed assert their innocence and give plausible
explanations for the goods found in their pos
session
John Nimmo, chief Of the Brotherhood of
Brakeman on the Panhandle road, called upon
Deputy Mayor Gripp. before whom the warrants
had been sworn out this morning. and stated
that he had been employed the Panhandle
road for the past four months. During that
time he had never seen anything crooked among
the employees. The brotherhood he said. would
employ counsel to defend the prisoners and If
| possible establish their innocence. II proofs
shown Of their guilt. however the brother
| hood would assist in their conviction 1t was
the intention to proceed against the company for
damages if the charges against any OF the men
under arrest are not sustained.
Detective Coul3on. of the city police, left this
morning to arrest several men who had been in
the employ of the company bn. had left before
the exposure. These men, it is claimed, are
known to have been among the most prominent
aud reckless the Panhandle. They now
in the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad. the
| Fort Wayne, the Lake Erie and the
| Baltimore g. Ohio. 1t is asserted that
| organize the crews of those reads with a view
| of systematic robbery. The probability that the
| robberies have extended 10 the Fort Wayne and
| the Cleveland 81 Pitisburg is based on the fact
| OF those roads paralleling each other for con-
| siderable distance. and Of the naturally close
| lations which would exist among the men en-
gagged on them. There Is admittedly less ground
for the probability in the of the Pennsvl
vania, Special Agent Rue has said repeatedly
that there is stealing that line and still
| less probability of it the Lake Erie. &C.
count of its short line, the smaller number of its
trains. and the consequent difficulty OF escaping
| detection.
Superintendent Taylor, in speaking of the
rests, stated to-day that there were still large
number of the trainmen on the Pittsburg di-
vision on whom there did not rest the
slightest suspicion. For these the COM
pany has the kindest feeling. He said that
there were eighty through freight trains be-
tween Pittsburg and Columbus. OF this num-
Der thirty five were west OF Dennison, and were
not under surveillance. OF the remaining forty
five crews employing $50 men. sixty were ar
rested This left about l20 men between Pitts
burg and Dennisou. he said, who were not un-
der suspicion, and were still working
The counsel for the prisoners have not yet
determined upon plan OF defense but they say
they are waiting the result of the hearing on
Monday. The cases against the prisoners will
then be disclosed, and thus let the know
| what they are expected to meet. Every effort is
being made by the attorneys for the railroad to
push the cases so that they can be heard by the
present term of court The assistant district
attorney stated to-day that il was the intention
OF the grand jury to finish the work laid out for
this term next week, but, if it seems better that
the jury should hold over ten days IN order to
dispose of the railroad cases, that will be done.
He will be assisted in framing the indictments
by the counsel for the railroad, but neither this
work, nor, in fact, any can be done until after
the cases are heard by the aldermen
The United States authorities have decided to
proceed against the Panhandle plunderers for
breaking into government bonded cars, An in
vestigation is now in progress here. and the mat
ter will then be laid before the Department o!
Justice tor further action
The Penusylvana Company announced
through one of its leading officials, to-day. tha,
five days would be given to people having In
their possession goods stolen from the Pan
handle trains in which to return the same. AL
these packages must be addressed "E b. Taylor
superintendent package room, Pittsburg, Pa
No questions will be asked. and no further in
vestlcation follow. il the goods returned
The company has list of over forty houses II
this city in which stolen property is concealed
and it is to reach these and save the trouble o
numerous arrests and long trials that th!
method has been adopted
AS time progresses the most positive an d con
frmatory evidences accumulate showing tina
the peculations the Panhandle railroad havt
been far IN excess of what has been reported By
the officials and others who might be interestes
in placing the losses at the lowest figure. Thi
afternoon it came to light that q car was rfed
not single article of value being left behind
This bold move on the part OF the railway free
hooters brought them property valued at 81, 500
1t has been stated by parties in the American
Detective Bureaus Office, in this city, that th
stolen goods stored in the Of Mr.. Gilker
| sons private Office contain $l0G, 600 worth o
vauables a part Of which obtained at th
, city fences An addition has been made I
the recovered property by the goods brough
back from New Waterford, Coiumbiana county
Ohio, by detective John T. Norris, who also ha
with him Elmer Young, another of the accuse
railroaders. The railroad company has alread
satisfied most of the claims OF the consgnees o
the stolen property, and the goods in the hand
of detectives will be sold bv auction when a
cases are settled In court The trunks will nc
: be unpacked until hearings are had before Alder
man Grip. on Monday.
: In further confirmation Of the theory that tn
9 robberies have been in excess of what they hav
4 been reported, and that the losses extend we
: into the hundreds of thousands. the statement
{ John Hampton who has been attending TO III
0 legal end of the case Is alone sufficient. Sal
. he: Had the counsel aud officials of the Pal
handle railroad desired TO arrest all OF tho en-
v poyes of the road who were directly or ind
rectly connected with the robberses. it wou
t have been necessary to stop the operation Of Il
o road When the case had beon worked up
! the point OF making arrests, selection vi